Canadian Railroads > CN Kamloops Lorne Street station, future in doubt?

In 1927, as part of many improvements undertaken at Kamloops BC , CN constructed a "downtown" station on the interchange track to the CP main line. Most of CN's operations took place at Kamloops Junction, across the South Thompson River and four miles away from the city.

For many years, CN backed their transcontinental passenger trains down the interchange track into Kamloops Lorne Street, in part so that passengers could connect with passenger trains to Kelowna.  At other times of the day, CN operated a variety of small railcars to carry staff out to their jobs at Kamloops Junction. Later a Fageol Twin Coach transit bus in CN colours made the road trip to the Junction.

Lorne Street station housed a train dispatchers office and an engineering office. In the 1970's, these offices moved out and for a time, it was a CN Pensioners clubhouse.

By the 1990's, it was empty, and a real estate developer acquired much of the surrounding property along Lorne Street for condo development.  The City of Kamloops designated Lorne Street Station as a heritage building, and the developer offered to renovate the structure for use as a high end restaurant.  The "Keg", a high end west coast steak house chain which likes to locate in heritage structures moved in.

For whatever reason, the "Keg" and the owner of the station have been unable to reach an agreement on lease renewal and after three years of negotiation, the "Keg" has given notice that they will close their Kamloops location effective August 31st.  

The developer is searching for a new tenant.

The image shows the westbound Via train 101 "Canadian Rockies by Daylight" at Kamloops Lorne Street in August 1988.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/16 21:15 by eminence_grise.

eminence_grise Wrote:
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>> The image shows the westbound Via train 101
> "Canadian Rockies by Daylight" at Kamloops Lorne
> Street in August 1988.

"Canadian Rockies by Daylight"......sold off by VIA in the Jan 1990 cuts and eventually became the Rocky Mountaineer

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During my railfanning of Kamloops ,I wondered about the history of this station.Thanks for the background and update.I went into the Keg and looked around ,nice but pricey.Bill Webb

For decades, CN used images of Mount Edith Cavell to illustrate the wonders of Jasper National Park.  The mountain is visible from Jasper station, but to get to the location used in the publicity shots with the lake in the foreground involves a tour bus ride and a hike.

Via kept up the practice in the above brochure.

Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are similarly some distance from Lake Louise "village" and the CP station, and not visible from the train.

CP however used images of Moraine Lake as "seen" from the dome of the "Canadian",( an impossibilty) in publicity posters, and even today "Rocky Mountaineer" gets complaints that Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are not visible from the train.

eminence_grise Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For decades, CN used images of Mount Edith Cavell
> to illustrate the wonders of Jasper National Park.
>  The mountain is visible from Jasper station, but
> to get to the location used in the publicity shots
> with the lake in the foreground involves a tour
> bus ride and a hike.
>
> Via kept up the practice in the above brochure.
>
> Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are similarly some
> distance from Lake Louise "village" and the CP
> station, and not visible from the train.
>
> CP however used images of Moraine Lake as "seen"
> from the dome of the "Canadian",( an impossibilty)
> in publicity posters, and even today "Rocky
> Mountaineer" gets complaints that Lake Louise and
> Moraine Lake are not visible from the train.

Indeed, the auto is the preferred method of sightseeing in areas such as Banff and Jasper, except for those just passing through.